Not every memorable class has to come from your major. Here are some of my favorite courses outside of statistics that surprised me, inspired me, or were just pure fun.

ENGL 220: Literature and Science

I took this class during my freshman year, and it’s got to be my favorite gen-ed to date. We read all kinds of science fiction novels, such as Dawn by Octavia Butler, Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson, and Binti by Nnedi Okorafor, to name a few. Professor Dave Morris was amazing, always bringing enthusiasm and thoughtfulness to class. I could tell he really cared about our essays, and his feedback made me want to write beyond the bare minimum and dive into the complexities of the novels.

What made the class even better were the people. Everyone was excited to share their interpretations and opinions and debate ideas. Professor Morris’ lecture notes and questions mirrored this enthusiasm, bringing up relevant and thought-provoking topics that we built upon together. From discussions on generative AI to reproductive autonomy to the economization of science—there wasn’t a dull day in class.

MATH 453: Number Theory

If you like puzzles or creative problem solving, you’ll probably love this class. While it’s technically a higher-level math course (and now has MATH 314 or 347 as prerequisites), it’s one I’d definitely recommend if you’re thinking about minoring/double-majoring in math or just enjoy logical thinking.

The course isn’t proof heavy—a nice change of pace compared to other math courses— and the content was fascinating, covering primes, congruences, quadratic residues, and more. Homework and exams reminded me of high school math contests, where you must apply the knowledge you’ve learned in class while thinking outside of the box at the same time to solve the problems.

Professor Alexandru Zaharescu is awesome, too. He teaches concepts slowly and clearly, using in-depth examples that make assignments feel manageable. His story tangents are also fun, as his experiences with famous mathematicians were fascinating to hear about.

HK 102 & HK 104: Individual and Dual Activities & Skating Activities (a.k.a. Bowling and Ice Skating)

If you’re looking for a class to be active, meet people, and take it easy, HK classes are where it’s at! I just took HK 102 during the first half of this semester, and it was a blast bowling for 80 minutes a day, 2 days a week without fail. While you do have to pay a $65 fee for the class, the amount of time you get to bowl makes is totally worth it. During first few days, the instructor goes over the basics (rules, techniques, and strategies), and after that, the most classes were either free bowl days or competitions days. You don’t have to be an expert; just show up, play, and improve while making new friends along the way!

I also took HK 104, ice skating, a few semesters ago. It was my first time ice skating, so I was nervous that I’d make a fool of myself, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that most people were also skating for the first time. The student instructors were super helpful, and in the span of 8 weeks I went from being uneasy on two feet to balancing on one foot comfortably. The final project was a creative group dance where we showcased the skills we learned, ending on a positive note.

Both classes were 1-credit hour courses and mainly attendance- and effort-based grade-wise, which allowed me to destress and make mistakes to improve through trial and error. I also met students from all different majors and backgrounds in these classes, and connecting with them over these activities made my experience even more meaningful.

Final Thoughts

Taking classes outside of statistics has been one of the most rewarding parts of my college experience. Whether it was analyzing science fiction novels, exploring patterns in number theory, or learning how to ice skate and bowl, each course helped me grow in ways that statistics alone couldn’t. So, if you’re a first-year STAT major, don’t be afraid to branch out— take that random class that sounds cool! You never know which class might end up being your favorite.

by Ricky Lin

Ricky is a 2nd year student in Statistics & Computer Science, shares some of his favorite courses outside of Statistics that he’s experienced so far! Read on for some great insights and recommendations.

TE 200 Introduction to Innovation

Although this class is restricted to LLC residents, if you are in one or want to apply for one, I’d definitely recommend it! I was part of the Innovation LLC in the Technology Entrepreneur Center and it was a fun environment where I met some cool people! It’s a 1-hour seminar class, where there are weekly readings and class meetings are mostly discussions. You learn about successful entrepreneurs and the keys to success to start from a simple idea to a full-fledged start-up. I took it with Keilin and she was super nice to talk to. I’d definitely recommend talking with her if you have any ideas related to entrepreneurship in general.

However, the most interesting part of the class is participating in the IDEA Fair, which is a project pitching competition where students prototype their ideas and judges award money. Getting to brainstorm and work in a group is interesting, and puts your creativity to the test. Last fall, my team (PATH) secured the $500 AWARE award and it was a great experience!

ArtJ302 Intro to Japanese Animation

One of my favorite gen-eds at UIUC is ArtJ302. It’s an online synchronous class run via Zoom, but that doesn’t take away from its engagement and awesome material! Professor Lindsey Stirek was very passionate and nice about the material. She gave us a great overview of anime as a whole and how different techniques are employed to illustrate ideas. Often in class, we just watched classical anime like Akira and Afro Samurai.

The best part of the class was the final, where we had the freedom to create a video essay, animation, or any medium related to the topics we learned in class. I just made a video essay on Attack on Titan, but I was blown away by the talent of some of my classmates’ animations. Definitely highly recommend this if you love anime or just want to see what the hype is all about!

Afro228 Hip Hop Music: History & Culture

This class is the latest gen-ed I have taken, and has definitely taken me by surprise. When I signed up, I expected the class to be interesting because I enjoy listening to rap, but I became increasingly invested in the origins and backstory behind the music. The professor, John Meyers, loves what he teaches, and explains things in a critical way that shows you why they are important. It’s not a memorizing date or people type of class, but rather more cause and effect and how the industry has changed over time. In class, we often listen to artists like Public Enemy, 2Pac, Nas, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem.

We also get exposed to social issues in the East and West coast, which are key components of the sound of rap. It’s a sophisticated and rather complex class that encourages further thinking, so if you want to engage with American hip-hop culture and learn about how it has evolved over time, look no further!

To conclude, I’d recommend taking classes that interest you rather than spend time simply fulfilling a requirement for the sake of doing it. Steve Jobs dropped all of his technical classes and took a design calligraphy class just because he thought it was interesting, and the rest was history (this is an exaggeration, but you get the point). Sometimes taking less classes to enjoy college is the way to go—you only go to college once.

One thing to keep in mind is that at first, nothing really makes sense. Everyone is trying to figure life out and what they want to do. But be open to new experiences and give things a try, and when you look back the dots will connect. Go for that business, graphic design, or computer science minor you’ve been thinking about. Why not? I hope this has given some perspective and wish you all the best of luck for registration